Channel shaped insert for embedment in concrete



K. BUHLER 3,375,623

CHANNEL SHAPED INS ERT FOR EMBEDMENT IN CONCRETE April 2, 1968 FiledJune 18, 1965 PRIOR ART 750 I5 I90 70 Z56 I /I 7- I, .9 L96 2 /4 KaRL Bum 3,375,623 Patented Apr. 2 1968 United States Patent Ofitice 3,375,623CHANNEL SHAPED INSERT FOR EMBED- MENT IN CONCRETE Karl Biihler,Freiestrasse 23, Trimbach, near Olten, Switzerland Filed June 18, 1965,Ser. No. 464,999 Claims priority, application Switzerland, June 23,1964,

3 Claims. (Cl. 5297) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Method of making aconcrete building element provided at its underside with a grooveddelimiting water ridge, and a building element strip member that isformed of synthetic material which is fixed to a mold part of a moldassembly and serves as a means to form the underside of the buildingelement. The strip member has a substantially 1r-shaped cross-section,being flat at its top and including two downwardly depending spacedlimbs having free ends. Each of the limbs is provided at its outer side'with an upwardly extending outwardly directed holding rib that issubstantially barbed hook-shaped in cross-section so that disengagementof said limbs from solidified concrete around it is prevented.

The present invention has reference to an improved method of making aconcrete building element provided at its underside with a water ridge,means for performing the inventive method, and further, relates to animproved concrete building element produced in accordance with theaforesaid method.

A primary aim of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedmethod of forming a concrete building element provided at its undersidewith a water ridge in a very easy and simple manner.

Further very important objects of this invention are directed to: amethod of making a concrete building element provided at its undersidewith a water ridge wherein a member used for forming a groove delimitingthe water ridge is left permanently embedded in the formed concreteelement, an improved concrete building element produced according to theinventive method, and to an improved strip member used for performingthe aforesaid method.

The method of the present invention is characterized in that for makinga groove delimiting a water ridge in a building element a strip memberformed of synthetic material is fixed to a mold part of a mold assemblyfor the underside of the building element, the strip member beingapproximately qr-shaped in cross-section and fixed in such a manner thatboth limbs of the strip member rest against the mold part. Then thebuilding element is formed and the mold assembly thereafter removedwhile the strip member of synthetic material is not removed.

Now the present invention also embodies an improved concrete buildingelement formed according to the previously explained method which isprovided at its underside with a water ridge and a strip member boundingthe water ridge and permanently embedded in the concrete body.

Finally, a further important aspect of the invention relates to theconstruction of the strip member itself used for carrying out theinventive method. In addition to the physical structure alreadyexplained this strip member further includes a central recess which issubstantially symmetrical to both limbs and receives the heads of nailsfor securing the strip member to the mentioned mold part. The nailsemployed have heads which are not too thick so that, if need be, anynails which have remained Cir fixed to the strip member after the moldpart has been removed, can be pulled through the central recess awayfromthe formed concrete building element and without .dislodging theembedded strip member.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawingin which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates in vertical section a concrete building elementstill in its mold assembly and formed according to a technique belongingto the prior art;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of inventivestrip member formed of synthetic material, substantially vr-shaped incross-section, and used for carrying out the inventive method;

FIGURE 3 illustrates a vertical section through a concrete buildingelement still in its mold assembly and using the inventive strip memberdepicted in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 illustrates a vertical section through the concrete buildingelement of FIGURE 3 after removal from the mold assembly and withembedded strip member.

In order to be better able to appreciate the more important aspects ofthe present invention it is thought desirable to briefly consider aprior art technique for forming a concrete building element providedwith a water ridge. In accordance with this prior art method, explainedin conjunction with the showing of FIGURE 1, for providing a water ridge7 at the underside or lower end of a concrete building element 6, forexample a concrete plate serving as a roof or a terrace bottom, or aconcrete lintel, it was usual to nail a wooden ledge 5, by nails 4, to amold bottom 1 corresponding to the underside of the concrete buildingelement 6. The mold assembly in which the concrete 6a was poured, inaddition to the mold bottom 1 and the ledge 5 fixed thereto by means ofthe nails 4 in order to form a groove 5a in the concrete element 6delimiting the water ridge 7, further incorporated a front 2. After theconcrete 6a has been poured into the considered mold assembly 1, 2, 5and solidified, the wooden ledge 5 is removed together with the moldbottom 1 and front 2. In many cases this is somewhat cumbersome sincethe wooden ledge 5 may stick in the groove 5a formed by it, so that itmust be removed piece by piece which, as is known, is costly and therealways exists the danger of damaging the water ridge 7.

Keeping the above in mind and considering now the teachings of thepresent invention, the wooden ledge 5 of the prior art is replaced by astrip member illustrated in FIGURE 2 and generally indicated byreference character 10. This strip member 10 is used to form the grooveor recess 20 of a concrete building element B and delimiting the waterridge 21. Not only is strip member 10 of substantially 1r-shapedcross-section, it is also advantageously formed of synthetic material,preferably a suitable thermoplastic material. The distance between bothlimbs 11 and 12 increases from a middle portion 15 towards the free endsof these limbs. The outer face or side of each limb 11 and 12 isprovided with a holding rib 13 and 14 respectively, which has across-section substantially in the shape of a barbed hook. The middleportion 15 is approximately plate-like and, at both sides its opposedlongitudinal edges 15c and 15d project beyond the limbs 11 and 12,respectively, where they merge into the middle portion 15. The latteralso has a central recess 16 symmetrical to both limbs 11, 12 forreceiving heads of nails 19. The depth of the recess 16 advantageouslycorresponds to approximately one third of the wall thickness of themiddle portion 15.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show the use of the strip member 10 of FIG. 2 forforming the groove 20 when making a concrete building element B having awater ridge 21. On the bottom wall 17 of the mold assembly M for theunderside rests the front wall 18. Means for fixing the wall .18 to thewall 17 are not shown since such are well known to the art. On thebottom wall 17 the strip member of synthetic material serving forforming the groove 20 is fixed by means of nails 19 so that both limbs11 and 12 rest on this bottom wall 17, as shown. The head 19a of eachnail 19 to be used should be not more than twice as thick as the shank19b of the nail. Of course, the nails 19 are hammered completely intothe recess 16 of the middle portion of the strip member '10 of syntheticmaterial, so that no nail parts project beyond the outer surface of themiddle portion 15. It is advisable that the length of the nails 19 besuch that each nail can be securely and rigidly fixed to the bottom wall17.

When the mold or mold assembly M is ready for casting, concrete ispoured into it. Naturally, any required reinforcing iron pieces areinserted and fixed in the mold in the usual manner before pouring. Whenthe concrete has solidified, the mold is removed as usual. When thenails 19 have been hammered deeply enough into the mold boards, they aretorn out of the strip member 10 of synthetic material on removal of themold, since the heads 19a of the nails are only slightly thicker thantheir shanks 19b. If, however, occasionally a nail 19 remains stickingin the strip member 10 of synthetic material, it is pulled out of saidstrip member in the direction towards the tip 190 of the nail 19. Thestrip member 10 itself, however, is not removed from the poured concreteelement B. The holding ribs .13 and 14 of barbed hook-shapedcross-section prevent the limbs 11 and 12 from disengaging from the sidewalls 22 of the groove open towards the underside of the concreteelement B and formed by the strip member 10, The parts 15a and 15b ofthe platelike middle portion 15, which protrude beyond the limbs 11 and12 at the region where they merge into the middle portiorf 15, preventthe strip member 10 of synthetic material from disengaging with thegroove 20 in downward direction.

While there is shown and described a present preferred embodiment of theinvention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means used for forming a groove delimiting a water ridge in aconcrete element comprising a strip member formed of synthetic material,said strip member being of vr-shaped cross-section, including twodepending spaced limbs having free ends and a substantially plate-likemiddle portion, each of said limbs being provided at its outer side witha laterally protruding outwardly and upwardly directed holding rib ofsubstantially barbed hook-shaped cross-section, so that disengagement ofsaid limbs from the concrete element is prevented; the distance betweensaid limbs of said strip member increases in the direction of said freeends of said limbs.

2. Means as defined in claim 1 wherein said limbs are integral with saidplate-like middle portion.

3. Means as defined in claim 1, wherein said plate-like middle portionincorporates two opposed longitudinal edges, said limbs being integralwith said plate-like middle portion and spaced inwardly of saidlongitudinal edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,251,150 12/1917 Widmer 52-7101,359,978 11/1920 Folin- 52-710 2,780,936 2/1957 Hillberg 52-7103,145,503 8/1964 Brechin 52-396 3,157,966 11/1964 Sherburne 249-1771,531,754 3/1925 Palmer 52-704 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,333,580 6/1963 France.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

